Limenostomo
Limenostomo is one of the three major Zardic cities (the other two being Kostandian Bay and Belgae) and is located in the centre portion of Ingomo State on the coast of Lake Majatra. The city has long been a regional hub of trade, business and culture and is the third largest city in Zardugal in terms of population. Historically, the city has a major connection to the Augustan Empire and is home to a large Augustan population. The city has well preserved temples and buildings from the era allowing for in depth study of the regions history and development. In recent years the city has emerged as a major political centre in southern Zardugal and is considered a major Majatran city with strong trade and cultural links to Cobura and Jakania along with ties with Deltaria and Jelbania from its position as the dominant port city in Lake Majatra. The city is noted for its strong conservative tilt, home to many major corporations and the Permanent Security Secretariat of the Majatran Security Co-Operation Organization along with being the political headquarters for the Conservative Republican Party (Zardugal) and its successor parties the United Federalist Party (Zardugal) and the Zardic People's Party which have long been the dominant centre-right parties in Zardugal. History The city traces its origins to when the Augustan Empire began expanding northward in the early part of its history. Keen to dominate the trade around Lake Majatra and direct it to the main power centres of the Empire, Limenostomo was established to accomplish these tasks. Surviving records from the era show that the future site of the city was originally a small fishing village that made a living off light trade with its compatriots on the Lake Majatran shores. The first major Augustan settlement began in 900 CE as the legions moved in to secure the area and began building a fort on the coast to showcase Augustan power in the area. The area prospered from a complex trading network involving inland trade from the western areas of the Empire and connections to the capital with connections to Jelbk traders to the north and easy access to the Deltarian side of the Lake as well as easy and safe routes to Jakania. By 1200 CE the city had a population of 20,000 and craft of all shapes as sizes could be seen to dominate the port area of the city. However as the Augustan Empire began to wilt and the Caliphate became the dominate power of southern Majatra, the city soon saw its trade dry up. As the conflict marched westward, lucrative trade contacts were cut and the city lost its importance for a time as the Augustan focus was put on beating back the Ahmadi's. After the disasterous end of the Great War of the South, the city reached its lowest point with fewer than 5,000 residents and trade at a near standstill on the Lake. However with the conculsion of the war and a brief period of peace, trade began to slowly pick up and Limenostomo became a centre for trade yet again. The city was key in building links between the two halves of the Ahmadi Caliphate and it provided access to Augustan markets for outside goods. By 1401, when the Augustan Empire finally fell, the city was seen as such a crucial nod in the regional trade network that when the Caliphate forces moved into the city, Senas Victus, the commander of the city's defenses, negotiated an overly generous surrender of the city which included complete amnesty for its Augustan defenders and people, a high degree of autonomy and a radical form of pluralism unheard of before where the mainly Hosian Augustans were allowed to keep their religious temples open and be governed by their local religious authorities while the new Ahmadi migrants and occupiers would similarly be govered by their own structures. This radical agreement led to Limenostomo flourishing as a centre of trade, culture and learning. For much of the next century the city saw a massive boom in population and subsquent development with records indicating that some 50,000 people lived in the city and new temples began rising up. However the city soon became central to regional and Caliphate political intrigue. With the split in Ahmadism over questions regarding the successor to the Prophet tearing the Caliphate apart, the native Augustans who had always heavily outnumbered their Ahmadi occupiers quickly began working to overthrow them. As most of the interior was lost, the Ahmadi's clung to Limenostomo was a heavily fortified trading post hoping that their trade networks would lessen the damage. Yet as the split became more damaging and regional governors advanced their own political ambitions the unity of the Ahmadi occupiers greatly diminished. In what is described as one of the most fortunate events in history, as the Augustan armies, now called the Kingdom of Zardugal began advancing on the city and the defenders began attacking each other. As the early Zardic forces began surrounding the city, they saw smoke rise from parts of it leading some to suggest that an earlier force had taken control of the city or that the majority Augustans had risen up. Instead the Ahmadi defenders, seeing their position was doomed began attacking each other! The fierce theological debates and divides had finally taken their toll and within a week the city was incorporated as part of the Kingdom of Zardugal. Since becoming part of a united Zardugal, the city has continued to prosper throughout the centuries. The city is home to many corporations and non-governmental organizations focused on southern Majatran issues and has become a major regional trade hub for the continet. Whereas Kostandian Bay and Belgae place a heavy emphasis on their Terra wide contacts and orientation, Limenostomo still largely focuses on developing regional contacts. The city takes great pride in its complex relationship with Jakania and Cobura along with the other Lake Majatra states. In recent history, the city, like Belgae suffered little in the major wars Zardugal has fought. Whereas Belgae was scarred deeply by the occupation by Jelbania in the 3350's and later in the 3720's during the Vanukuean occupation, Limenostomo has rarely been occupied by a foreign power. The most damage the city has sustained is from air raids, the most intense being the surprise attack that hit the city in 3504 when the Third Great Majatran War broke out. Politics and Governance The City of Limenostomo is governed in mayor-manager style of governance. The Mayor is an elected at large position and is head of the Limenostomo City Council, a 25 member legislative body that has 15 members elected from districts and 10 at large members including the Mayor. The City Manager is head of the Limenostomo Metropolitan Administration and is appointed for 4 year terms by the City Council. The City Manager position is a non-partisan position and is charge of day to day city administration. The local City Court of Limenostomo handles most cases for the city but the city also has major state and federal court prescence as well. Being the capital of Ingomo State, the city is home to the Ingomo Supreme Court along with a smaller state district court. Federally, the city is home to the Federal District Court of Ingomo and the Limenostomo Federal Attorney's Office. The city is also home to major field offices of the Counter Terror Administration, the Federal Police Service (FPS) and various other governmental bodies Politics The city is noted for its strong penchant for conservative politics and is considered to be the conservative capital of the nation. Being home to a large population of firm Hosian believers and a large minority of devoute Ahmadi's leads the city to exemplify the conservatism of the state. Most of the centre-right parties in Zardugal have longed dominated the local and state political machinary. The powerful Zardic People's Party has its headquarters in the state and most center-right parties maintain field offices here to show their support for conservative causes. The city hasn't voted for a left wing party since the ADL's stunning electoral win here decades ago. Since then the city has maintained its reliably conservative tilt. The city council is dominated by the ZPP with 18 of its 25 members being official party candidates. Economy The city has historically relied off trade for its livlihood, something that has not largely changed in hundreds of years. The city port, though not comparable to Kostandian Bay, is one of the largest ports in Lake Majatra by volume with small boats and barges transporting goods from one place to the other. Raw materials from Jakania and Jelbania largely flow into the city and manufactured goods flow out to consumers. In recent years, the city has been focused on increased higher technology development and international contacts. The manufacturing sector has seen, somewhat of a boom as the city seeks to capitalize on higher demand for more advanced products. Zardic Defense Industries maintains a large vehicles production centre in the city while several different airplane manufacturers and computer companies seek to take advantage of the lower wages and less economic regulation than compared with neighboring Kalvario State. A strong education system and a free market agenda have helped keep the city competitive and healthy. The city is also home to the Limenostomo Merchantile Exchange (LME) which is the premier Zardic and Majatran market for the setting of futures and commodities prices. The Exchange largely focuses on trade in futures for oil and other petroleum resources with substantial market share for crops, and other metals. Several Coburan and Jakanian companies are heavily involved in the Exchange and even more rely off its market prices to help them do business. Financial institutions and banks also represent a key sector for the economy. The First Bank of Limenostomo is the largest city bank and also has offices across Ingomo State. The Zardic Federal Reserve Bank of Limenostomo is also based in the city and contributes greatly to the development of the city and its status as a Majatran financial centre. Numerous Terra and Majatran wide banks also have offices in the city which help further its commerical deals greatly. Category:Cities of Zardugal Category:Cities